About Mechanical Engineering

About Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical engineers are traditionally concerned with the conception, design, implementation, and operation of mechanical systems. Common fields of work include aerospace, energy, manufacturing, machinery, and transportation. Due to the broad nature of the discipline, there is usually a high demand for mechanical engineers with advanced training.

The Department includes more than 30 faculty members and 200 graduate students, and is housed primarily within the recently renovated Macdonald Engineering building. The Department contains state-of-the-art experimental facilities (including a major wind tunnel facility) and has extensive computational facilities. Professors within the Department collaborate widely with professors in other units, often through research centres including the Centre for Intelligent Machines (CIM); the McGill Institute for Advanced Materials (MIAM); and the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital (MNI). The research interests within the Department are very broad and fall largely within the following five areas:

aerodynamics, fluids, and thermal engineering

mechanics of materials and structures

dynamics and control

design and manufacturing

bioengineering

Within these areas, specific topics of research are given in the following:

The Department offers programs of study leading to the M.Eng., M.Sc., and Ph.D. degrees in Mechanical Engineering. Both M.Eng. (Thesis) and M.Eng. (Non-Thesis) programs are offered.

There are several options for completing master’s degrees that do not involve the completion of a thesis. The M.Eng. (Non-Thesis) program has more extensive course requirements and will appeal to students who desire to gain both a broad understanding of subjects within Mechanical Engineering as well as in-depth information in a specific area. Two other options for non-thesis master’s degrees are described below.

The M.Eng. (Thesis) program requires the completion of 16 credits of technical complementary courses, a seminar course, and a thesis. The thesis involves advanced research supervised by one or more professors who are internationally known in their field. This program prepares students for either an industrial research career or further academic research at the Ph.D. level.

For students who would like to concentrate on computational work for their research, the M.Eng. (Thesis) – Computational Science and Engineering (CSE) option is available. CSE is a rapidly growing multidisciplinary area with connections to the sciences, engineering, mathematics, and computer science. CSE focuses on the development of problem-solving methodologies and robust tools for the solution of scientific and engineering problems. In this program, students choose their complementary courses from within a list of scientific computing courses and courses that involve applications and specialized methods.

Students in this program must complete four required courses in addition to 16 credits of complementary courses and a seminar course. They also complete a project that is less involved than a thesis and may involve a limited research project, or a technical or design study. Graduates of this program are well-prepared for carrying out research and development in industry and may also proceed to further research at the Ph.D. level.

The M.Eng. Aerospace Degree is offered to students who wish to specialize in the general area of aerospace engineering. This degree is given in conjunction with Concordia University, École Polytechnique, Université Laval, Université de Sherbrooke, and École de Technologie Supérieure. Students registered at McGill are required to take two courses from two other institutions.

The aerospace industry is strongly established in Quebec. Representatives of the aerospace industry therefore requested that measures be taken to provide for qualified scientists in aerospace. Five universities offering courses in engineering came together to offer a Master’s degree program in the field of aeronautics and space technology. This program is offered to students who wish to specialize in these disciplines. The industry’s participation is a special feature of this program.
The universities and the participating industries, with the cooperation of the Centre of Aerospace Manpower Activities in Quebec (CAMAQ), have formed a Coordinating Committee, CIMGAS, to arrange for industrial internships and case study courses for the students and to implement specific program developments to meet the needs of the industry.

The M.Eng. (Aerospace) program requires a minimum of 45 credits, including an “Industrial Stage” (i.e., engineering work in an aerospace industry) of four months. Enrolment is limited to the number of industrial stages available, so admission to the program is typically quite competitive. While intended to be a full-time program, the M.Eng. (Aerospace) program may be completed on a part-time basis over a maximum of five years. By the time of completion of the program, graduates are extremely well-prepared to enter into a career in the aerospace industry.

Depending on their background, students would specialize in one of the four areas:

The Master in Manufacturing Management (M.M.M.) program attracts business professionals from around the world who wish to pursue a career in the effective management of global operations and supply chain.
It is a professionally-oriented graduate program offered jointly through the Faculties of Engineering and Management, aimed at those candidates with engineering or science backgrounds.

In just eleven months of academic studies, M.M.M. students sharpen their expertise in supply chain and operations through an intensive program that includes:

A challenging curriculum

Extensive industrial interaction

Innovative research projects

Additionally, students are exposed to the latest trends and developments in management and participate in professional development seminars to leverage their communication and leadership skills.
After less than one year of studies, participants complete a paid work term at an industrial location. This is a unique opportunity to work on a real-world project with an M.M.M. partner company in North America.

In the Ph.D. program, students are required to demonstrate a significant new contribution to their field of research, as documented in an externally reviewed thesis. The research is carried out under the supervision of professors that are leaders in their field. Since research in Mechanical Engineering is often interdisciplinary in nature, it is common for Ph.D. students to have a co-supervisor in addition to their principle supervisor. Graduates from this program typically proceed to careers in research in either industrial or academic environments.

Admission Requirements

Admission Requirements

The general rules of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies apply. Candidates who come from other institutions are expected to have an academic background equivalent to the undergraduate curriculum in mechanical engineering at McGill or to make up any deficiencies in a Qualifying year.

Applicants to the M.Eng. (Thesis) program, including the CSE Option, must hold an undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in Engineering. Applicants who hold an undergraduate degree in a non-Engineering discipline – typically the Physical Sciences – may apply for the M.Sc. (Thesis) program, which is governed by the same regulations as the M.Eng. (Thesis) program.

Applicants to the M.Eng. (Non-Thesis) program must hold an undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in Mechanical Engineering.

Applicants to the M.Eng. (Aerospace) program must hold an undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in Engineering.

Applicants to the Ph.D. program must have successfully completed a master's degree program (or equivalent) in Engineering or the Physical Sciences. Students are not admitted directly from an undergraduate program into the Ph.D. program.

In the case of all programs, applicants must have successfully completed their prior degree(s) with a minimum CGPA equivalent to 3.3 on a scale of 4.0. Satisfaction of these minimum requirements does not guarantee admission. Applicants to graduate studies whose mother tongue is not English, and who have not completed an undergraduate or graduate degree from a recognized foreign institution where English is the language of instruction or from a recognized Canadian institution (anglophone or francophone), must submit official results of either a TOEFL or an IELTS test. The minimum score required is 92 for the Internet-based TOEFL test, with each component score not less than 20 (or 580 on the paper-based test, with a minimum of 4.0 on the “Test of Written English”); or a minimum overall band of 7.0 on the IELTS test.

Applicants who hold an undergraduate degree in a non-Engineering discipline – typically the Physical Sciences – may apply for the M.Sc. (Thesis) program, which is governed by the same regulations as the M.Eng. (Thesis) program.

Applicants who hold an undergraduate degree in a non-Engineering discipline – typically the Physical Sciences – may apply for the M.Sc. (Thesis) program, which is governed by the same regulations as the M.Eng. (Thesis) program.

The M.Eng. Aerospace Degree is offered to the students who wish to specialize in the general area of aerospace engineering. This degree is given in conjunction with Concordia University, École Polytechnique, Université Laval, Université de Sherbrooke, and École de Technologie Supérieure. Students registered at McGill are required to take two courses from two other...

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.); Mechanical Engineering

Candidates normally register for the M.Eng. degree in the first instance. However, in exceptional cases where the research work is proceeding very satisfactorily, or where the equivalent of the M.Eng. degree has been completed at another university, candidates may be permitted to proceed directly to the Ph.D. degree without submitting a master's thesis as long as...